


Walk the Line through Pain

by RiseHigh



Series: Cursed Beginnings and Blessed Ends [1]
Category: Class (TV 2016)
Genre: AU to the extent April awakes as April, But everyone is there - Freeform, But still they go on, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Episode 1x08, Quill and Tanya centric, They are battered and broken
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-04
Updated: 2016-12-04
Packaged: 2018-09-06 08:46:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8743216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RiseHigh/pseuds/RiseHigh
Summary: And all this time we walk the line through pain and giving in to you // But now it's gone so we'll move on and know that this is not the end





	

**Author's Note:**

> I keep thinking about April awaking (without the unnecessary body swap nonsense) and them all there--sat on the gymnasium floor. None of the teenagers know what to do, so Quill does what Quill does best. She leads and protects her people...such as they are.

Light replaced shadow. Life replaced death. Peace replaced war.

Well, maybe not peace, Quill thought as her gaze drifted over to the children while her hands rested on her stomach. They weren’t crying anymore—April’s inexplicable resurrection (likely caused by the Care Bear’s heart being the purest of them all or some other nonsense) had quieted their sobs—but there were still tears in their eyes as they clung to each other. Strangely, it didn’t bother her as much as it usually did. It was all still disgustingly human, but Quill could tell they needed this after all they had fought.

However, they also needed to get out of this gymnasium. A teacher or students—or worse, the headmistress—was bound to walk in and there would have to be explanations. Explanations Quill would be forced to provide, and she did not have the energy for that. She needed to get them out of here and home—or an approximation of home for half of them.

Quill propelled herself forward from where she was leaning against the wall and headed towards the teenagers. “You,” she began, fixing her eyes on Ram. “You have a car, yes?”

He stared at her as if she was speaking a foreign language. “Yes,” he said finally.

“Is it at the school?”

“Yeah.”

She held out her hand. “Give me the keys.”

“Why?”

“We can’t stay here all evening.” She wiggled her fingers to urge him on while giving the others an appraising look. “None of you are in a fit state to drive.”

After a nudge from April, Ram pulled them from his pocket and handed them over. Yet, they all stayed sat on the floor staring up at her like that gaping fish—what was it called? A color. Bronze? No gold. Goldfish. Oh, good, Tanya finally stood up and the others slowly rose to their feet and headed toward the doors.

“Charles,” she called and he paused to look at her. Quill glanced at the empty Cabinet. “Forgetting something?”

“It’s nothing now…it’s…” he trailed off.

“A reminder,” she finished for him.

“One I don’t need.”

That was probably true, at least in this moment. But, even empty, it was still the only remnant of his people. He would want it one day. Quill sighed and went to get it herself. She expected him to protest, but he just stared at her a moment before Matteusz guided him toward the gymnasium doors.

Quill closed the Cabinet and gently ran her hands over the front of it. For a moment she allowed herself to relish in the fact that the Shadow Kin were gone—wiped from the universe. A fate they more than deserved. At least the Rhodians had finally been good for something.

Wrapping her arms around it, Quill picked up the Cabinet. It was lighter than before, so it was easy enough to lift, but it rested awkwardly on her stomach. Her stomach. That was something she still needed to address. She was, for lack of a better word, coming to terms with it, but many questions remained. There would be time for that later.

Quill turned back to the door to find only Tanya lingered. When she reached the door, the girl reached out to take the Cabinet from her.

“Let me,” she offered. Quill shook her head, but Tanya pulled it from her arms. Quill didn’t fight her. “I got it.”

* * *

When they arrived the car, only Ram and April waited outside for them. The other two were already in the backseat. Ram gestured at the boot and Quill fumbled with the key for a moment before unlocking it. Tanya went over to him, leaving her with April.

“His dad…” the girl began.

Quill nodded curtly. She had expected as much given how Ram had been behaving. There was a sorrow there that she had recognized. One that went beyond that of fear for his friends and the girl he had started to love. This girl. The one who was looking at her with those wide eyes. They were a bit unfocused, which was a tad troubling in and of itself, but there was none of that same sorrow.

“Your mother is still alive, yes?”

“Yes,” April said with a nod. Her eyebrows furrowed. “She probably can’t walk anymore though. She’ll be in a wheelchair probably, but we got by before and we will again.”

After getting the yes, Quill had started tuning her out. The girl may be traumatized but she was still definitively April. She needed her mother more than anything. Ram needed that too. (These humans always seemed to need mothers.) Ram must have one. Quill thought back to the dreadful parents’ night. Ram had a mother but she traveled—was likely traveling now. Quill watched April take his hand and pull him into the back seat (somehow the four of them managed to squeeze themselves in there—it looked uncomfortable, but of course, they didn’t seem to mind the closeness). April and her mother would have to do for now.

* * *

Quill brought the car to the stop in front of their house and looked into the rearview mirror. The two in the backseat were oblivious. Charles’ head was tucked under the Polish One’s and they both had their eyes closed. It was sickening. She glanced at Tanya who just shrugged from the passenger seat. The girl seemed puzzled as to why they had stopped here.

“Out,” she said loudly. Their eyes popped open, but only Matteusz looked at her through the mirror. “You two. Out.”

“But Tanya…”

“Doesn’t live here,” she finished before Matteusz could. By this point Charles had also made eye contact through the mirror. He gave her a look of—well, not trust, but one without the usual suspicion. “Go on.”

Finally, the pair got the hint and climbed out of the car leaving her alone with Tanya. Quill said nothing and started driving the short distance to the girl’s flat.  Tanya remained silent until they pulled into the parking lot of her building.

“Why are we here?” 

“Your brothers.”

“I told them to go anywhere but home.”

Quill scoffed as she shifted the car into park.  “And you think they listened?” 

“They usually do,” Tanya shot back. Her stubbornness was showing again. Quill liked that. Even if the girl happened to be wrong. “They left the library when I told them to,” she argued. "They didn't stay at the school."

“And you think they actually left the city?”

“Yes.”

“They’re your older brothers,” Quill said simply. “They might leave the school when you order them to, but they wouldn’t leave London without you. You’re their sister. They’ll be inside.”

Tanya sighed as she thought it over. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”

“Usually am.”

Quill fell silent and waited. This girl deserved that much after the way she had fought against their enemy.  No, it had been more than that. It had not been a mere fight against a common enemy—they had fought alongside each other—they had fought together. For that, she would wait all evening if she needed to. Looking at Tanya out of the corner of her eye, however, Quill could tell it wouldn’t be that long.

“What now?” Tanya asked after no more than three minutes. “How do I tell them about Mum?”

“You open your mouth and say the words.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“No,” Quill agreed. “But that is the only way. Nothing can soften this.” Tanya nodded slowly. Quill could see the tears forming in the girl’s eyes, but said nothing. She waited until the girl collected herself before continuing. “You tell them the truth.”

“All of it?”

This time it was Quill who nodded. Normally, she erred on the side of keeping all things alien secret, but certain circumstances warranted disclosure. This was one of them. “You will need each other. There cannot be secrets.”

Silence again. Then Tanya took a shaky breath and nodded.

“Okay. I can do this.”

Quill watched her unbuckle her seat belt. Her voice had been resolute, but there was a tremble in her hand and her eyes were so very lost. This one was fierce, but painfully young. Quill unbuckled her own seat belt and took the keys from the ignition. This earned her a look of confusion.

“No one should face a battle alone.”

Tanya opened her mouth to say something but then closed it and swallowed. Quill nodded and waited until the girl nodded back. Only then did they get out of the car and walk into the building.  Together.

**Author's Note:**

> I have more Tanya/Quill feels than I know what to do with. It's not even funny. And the idea of the two of them outside Tanya's building. Where Quill once stood so alone. Yeah. Did I mention I have all the feels?


End file.
